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28 January 2007

You're in a TV show... [More:]and you're one of the stars of an ensemble cast. When the credits are listed would you rather see

LESSER ACTOR NAME
and
YOUR NAME HERE

or would you rather see

LESSER ACTOR NAME
with
YOUR NAME HERE

I contend one of these choices is "better" than the other in terms of star status, my opponent contends that the other of the choices is "better".

Lives are on the line. What do you like? And is there really a "better" in cases like this?
I vote "with" is better. Just because I remember 70's TV shows would announce the names of actors and "and" always went before a bunch of jumbled names. "with" came after but with a pause and said slowly and clearly.
posted by arse_hat 28 January | 02:01
I'd go with "and featuring."

And Featuring
Jrossi4r
as Hot Wacky Neighbor
posted by jrossi4r 28 January | 02:09
A nice primer on movie credits.
posted by arse_hat 28 January | 02:10
Of the two, "with".

Because in thing, thing, and thing, when there's any order at all, the most important or biggest thing comes first, and the least important thing comes last. Which is why when you say what you put in the soup (an ensemble dish!), you don't say "parsley, celery, potatoes and chicken".

Which is why you call the couple that contains your friend Sue, "Sue and Bubba" while Bubba's friends call that couple "Bubba and Sue". And why people twist themselves into pretzels to say "Sue and I" - to be polite by suggesting that the other person is more important than they are.

So, I am not so much arguing that "with" is great as I am saying that last after "and" is least important.
posted by taz 28 January | 02:12
With.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs 28 January | 02:17
"Because in thing, thing, and thing, when there's any order at all, the most important or biggest thing comes first, and the least important thing comes last. Which is why when you say what you put in the soup (an ensemble dish!), you don't say "parsley, celery, potatoes and chicken"."

Um, it's about 10 AM there is it not? This sounds like the start of an answer that comes just before closing time...

I do worry, love.
posted by arse_hat 28 January | 02:47
heh.
posted by taz 28 January | 02:49
"With" used to signify a step-down from star to co-star when I was young (back in Shakespeare's time), nowadays the last name in a list of actors with an "and" is usually just behind the first two leads, and "with" is hauled out mostly when there are more than one who need special crediting ("with X and Y"). I remember "Also Starring", but these days they don't even start the credits with "Starring". And remember when Jonathan Harris (Dr. Smith) got the "Special Guest Star" billing on "Lost in Space" for the entire run of the series?
posted by wendell 28 January | 03:50
jrossi4r makes an important distinction. Either one is better with "as" after is.

I'm going against the grain and saying "and" is better. Because "and" is lagniappe; oh, the cast is good AND you get rainbaby! With is ancillary.

So:

1 - and rainbaby as woman #3
2 - with rainbaby as woman #3
3 - and rainbaby
4 - with rainbaby

posted by rainbaby 28 January | 09:25
it's titillating when rainbaby lists herself like that....
posted by Lipstick Thespian 28 January | 10:19
And introducing
box
as grumpy eccentric

'And introducing' is great. Not only will people make a point of looking for you, they'll also think it's your first gig, and therefore not expect much.
posted by box 28 January | 12:13
I ADORE the word "lagniappe"! Rainbaby wins!

FWIW, I was the one championing the word "and" as "better". I was thinking of "The West Wing" where the cast was listed alphabetically, followed by "and Martin Sheen". This was only emphasized, to me, when Jimmy Smits came aboard and the cast was listed alphabetically, followd by "with Jimmy Smits AND Martin Sheen". Jimmy = teh good, Martin = teh best. Or something like that.

Wendell, Heather Locklear's the only other actor I can think of that was a "special guest star" throughout her run on a show (Melrose Place) yet was actually a regular cast member.
posted by WolfDaddy 28 January | 12:52
...hit post too soon.

The argument sprang up while watching "How I Met Your Mother". The two known names in the cast are listed like this:

with
Neil Patrick Harris
and
Alyson Hannigan

This, to me, gives more oomph to Hannigan's cred, while still making Harris look a bit taller than the other regular cast members. Since I also ADORE Harris' character on that show, and don't know Hannigan from Band Camp Girl, I felt the credits should be reversed. My friend took the opposing view.
posted by WolfDaddy 28 January | 12:55
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